


Open Hearts

by Violet_Rose_Of_Darkness



Category: Trolls (2016)
Genre: AUs, Angst, Broppy - Freeform, Human AU, One Shot Collection, Romance, other AUs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-02 17:04:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14549304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violet_Rose_Of_Darkness/pseuds/Violet_Rose_Of_Darkness
Summary: A series of one-shots centered around - you guessed it - Broppy! Most will probably be Human AUs, but I'll probably mix it up a bit too. And requests are open! Rated M for safety.Chapter 1 Summary: Branch absolutely despises his best friend's boyfriend. Turns out, he now has a good reason to.





	1. Tender: Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah... I think I have a serious obsession with Trolls. Especially Broppy. Like, there has literally never been a couple from a DreamWorks movie that I ship more (sorry, Shrek and Fiona XD). So, why not make one-shots for it? Anyway, please enjoy!

"Branch?"

"Yeah?"

"When was the first time you had sex?"

Branch nearly choked on his own spit. "No," he said, collecting himself. "We are not having this conversation right now. Scratch that: we're not having this conversation ever." They had been friends since they were in diapers, the two told each other almost everything. This, however, was something that he would much very rather keep quiet.

It had caught him completely off guard. They were just doing homework (well, he was doing homework. She was on her phone and waiting until Sunday as per usual) in her room when she had blurted it out. To be fair, though, he probably should be used to his friend's strange tendencies by now. Then again, he didn't think anyone could ever "get used to" Poppy.

Poppy pouted, looking up at him through her thick eyelashes. "Come on, Branch," she implored and he had to look away. Very few people could resist Poppy Sparkle's puppy eyes.  
Even he found himself at their mercy. "You can tell me."

He decided to change the subject, "Why are you asking me this anyway?"

Suddenly, she got real quiet. It was the quietest he had ever seen her. In fact, he didn't even think that she could physically get this quiet. Poppy was loud, boisterous, and cheerful. Always.

She shrugged at him. "I don't know," she obviously lied. "Just... popped into my head, I guess."

Branch placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong, Pops?" he asked gently, using the nickname only he was allowed to call her.

"Nothing." Another lie.

Since when did she lie to him? Poppy was always an open book, especially to him. And he was sure she had never lied to him before. Poppy simply wasn't one to tell a lie. "Poppy..." urged Branch, hoping to get her to open up.

Poppy pursed her lips and he knew she couldn't keep it in. "Well... it may or may not have something to do with Creek?" She finished that sentence as if it were a question when they both knew that it wasn't.

Creek Flow was Poppy's boyfriend (to his distaste) of a year and a half and to say he didn't like the guy was an understatement. Creek was an egotistical, obnoxious, condescending jerk and Branch despised the way he treated Poppy at times. Of course, it wasn't his place to say anything, but that didn't mean he couldn't be silently angry about it.

Branch regarded her warily. "What about Creak?" he asked carefully.

She twiddled her thumbs together nervously. "He... He keeps bugging me about it," she told him, obviously distressed. "He says that it keeps couples close and that if I don't sleep with him, I don't love him."

That fucker.

Rage engulfed him like a flame set to wood, but he did his best to shove it back down. As much as he despised her loser boyfriend, Poppy was his priority. "Poppy, you don't have to do anything you don't want to," he said to her, slightly harsher than he meant to. He glanced at her. "You know that, right?" He was positive that she did, but he just wanted to make sure.

Poppy shrugged again, her eyes downcast in a way that made his heart ache. "What if he gets mad at me?" she asked softly. That was the one thing he knew she hated. She hated when people were disappointed or unsatisfied with her. She always tried to please everyone, but if there was one person who didn't deserve her kindness, it was Creak.  
As well as himself, but that was besides the point.

 

"Then you leave his sorry ass," insisted Branch, his anger returning. "If he- God, Poppy. If he's putting this kind of pressure on you..." He trailed off, not knowing what to say next.

She shook her head. "No, no, no, Branch. It's not like that." He didn't know who she was trying to convince more; him or herself. "Creek- he's just... passionate about our relationship. You know?"

"Poppy-"

She sighed. "Just drop it, okay?" she pleaded. "Forget I said anything."

Everything inside of Branch screamed at him not to drop it. Right at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to convince her to break-up with that no-good sleaze and-  
'And what?' a voice in the back of his head demanded. That voice right there was often the source of his loneliness and lack of self-confidence. It was also the reason that Poppy was his only friend. He'd almost messed that up too, but she was very persistent. 'Tell her that you'd be better for her? Yeah right. You don't deserve her any more than he does.'

So, Branch simply nodded. "Whatever you want, Princess."

What a mistake that was.

OoOoOo

Branch woke up to an urgent knocking on his door. He groaned, dragging himself out of bed and glancing at his nightstand clock. One o'clock in the damn morning. There was only one person her knew that would be at his house, let alone at this ungodly hour. "Poppy..." he growled, shuffling wearily to his door. "Someone had better be bleeding to death."

As soon as he opened the door, his anger disappeared completely.

Her pink hair was down from her usual high ponytail and was strewn all over her head, falling across her shoulder messily. Her eyes were red and puffy and there were tearstains on her cheeks. Her body was trembling and she was absolutely soaked head-to-toe. He had never seen her more upset in his life or disoriented in his life.

But what stood out to him most was the angry red hand-shaped mark on her right cheek.

Poppy managed to smile weakly at him. "H-Hiya, B-Branch," she greeted, her voice shaking as much as her body was. "I-I'm sorry that I'm h-here so late, b-but..." She didn't get to finish her sentence before she began to sob loudly.

Branch immediately took her in his arms, holding her close. He tugged her into the small apartment, closing the door behind them before leading her to the couch. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders, hoping it would do something to warm her up. Her nails clutched his shirt, wailing incoherent noises into his chest.

He continued to hold her, rocking them both back and forth in an effort to calm her down. He rubbed comforting circles on her back, a thousand scenarios running through his mind at how she possibly could have gotten that mark- He suddenly stopped all movement, making the girl in his arms, who had gradually stopped crying, glance up at him curiously.

Creek.

That son of a bitch. Branch was going to murder him. How dare Creek even think about harming a hand on her head. By the time he was done, the fucker was going to be begging  
for mercy. He was going to - God - he was going to destroy him. He-

"Branch!"

He blinked and looked down at the pink-haired girl. "What?" he asked, slightly hostile.

Poppy rolled her eyes. "I called you, like, six times," she informed him. "What are you thinking about?"

Branch decided to be honest with her for once in his life. "How I'm going to rip your asshole of a boyfriend apart," he said truthfully.

She sat up quickly. "Creek didn't do this!" she insisted. "I, uh, fell! Yeah, I tripped and fell into a wall and-" She looked up at his unchanging expression and sighed. "I'm that bad of a lair, huh?"

"The worst."

Poppy visibly deflated, sniffling slightly. "I'm sorry."

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "For what?" As far as he was concerned, she had absolutely nothing to apologize for.

"For bothering you with this," she answered. "I know it's late and..."

Branch shook his head. "Don't be." He stood up before helping her to her feet. "Why don't you take a shower and then head to bed? I think you still have some clothes in the spare bedroom, yeah?"

Poppy nodded. "Probably. I'll go ahead and do that." She wrapped her arms around him. "Thanks, Branch."

He hugged her back. "What are friends for, Princess?" 'Friends,' the voice from a few days ago reminded him as she released him and walked away. 'Just friends. This doesn't change anything.' He tried his best to ignore the sinking feeling in his chest at the words.

Around half an hour later, Poppy came back in completely dry clothes. She looked much more relaxed than when she had first arrive, though her eyes were still red and the mark on her cheek was still prominent against her skin. "Goodnight, Branch."

"Night, Poppy."

Poppy seemed to contemplate something seriously before softly pressing her pink lips to his cheek. "Thank you for being there." She shot him one last smile before retreating to her room.

Branch lightly touched the spot where she had kissed him. "Always, Princess," he vowed, his cheeks flushing. He'd always be there for her. No matter what.


	2. Baby Pictures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was convinced that the two most important people in his life were conspiring against him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a request by Trolls4Life. It's also an AU where Rosiepuff is alive. Please enjoy!

Branch loved his girlfriend. Branch loved his grandmother. They were the two most important people in his life and he couldn't imagine what kind of cold, distant person he would be without either of them.

The two of them together, however, was nothing but pure torture.

Don't get him wrong, he was glad that Poppy and his grandmother got along so well. It was such a relief knowing that his only family loved his girlfriend as much as he did, but then again, who couldn't like Poppy? She was such a sweetheart; always so positive and friendly to everyone she met. It was damn near impossible not to love her. At this moment, though, he almost wished the two weren't so comfortable with each other.

Currently, Poppy and Rosiepuff were sitting on the couch, the former beaming in amusement as the latter showed her pictures in an album. His baby pictures to be exact. He himself was sulking in the corner as this went on.

"Aw!" cooed Poppy in adoration. "He was so tiny!"

Rosiepuff smiled fondly. "That he was. Getting him into the bath was such a hassle at that age."

"Grandma..." complained Branch, resting his head against the wall. The one thing he dreaded was finally happening.

Poppy giggled, gesturing to what he presumed was another picture. "Is he wearing his pants... on his head?"

Goddammit. "Grandma..." he tried again, to no avail.

The old troll chuckled. "And there's the time he tried to put on a concert for all his stuffed animals," she recalled. She craned her neck to her grandson's direction. "What did you call it again, Branch? The-"

"Okay!" Branch declared, chuckling nervously as he all but pried the album off his grandmother's lap, putting it back on its place on the shelf. "I think that's enough pictures for today? Poppy, it's getting late. We should really be going, yeah?"

Poppy pouted and looked like she wanted to argue, but stopped when she saw his pleading eyes. "I... guess you're right," she relented, standing up. She gave his grandmother a hug. "Thank you so much for having me."

Rosiepuff hugged the bright pink troll back. "Of course, dear. You're family." She pulled away, sending a stern glance at her grandson. "You bring here around here more often, you hear?"

He nodded, never one to argue with her. "Of course, Grandma," he assured, giving her a hug as well. As he pulled back, he subconsciously looped his arm around Poppy's waist, leading the troll out of the cot.

"So..." said Poppy as they made their way back to their own shared pod. He was already bracing himself for the teasing he knew was coming. "What was that concert called?"

Branch buried his face in his hands. "Please don't start, Poppy," he almost begged, eliciting another giggle from her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Far from my best work, I'll admit. I was just afraid of drawing it out. Please review anyway!


	3. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Creek loved Poppy, it wasn't the same way Branch did. Branch would rather be eaten than allow any harm to come to her. Takes place during the movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been in my head ever since I watched the movie. Please enjoy!

Branch was almost unaware of Biggie's loud sniveling as the cage was slammed onto the table. His eyes were merely focused on Chef who was grinning maliciously. "Sorry, but I can't have you leaving before tomorrow's dinner," she mocked them. "A dinner to which you are all invited. And when I say all... I mean every Troll in Troll Village."

Poppy advanced as far as she could due to the confines of the cage before he had a chance to pull her back. "You'll never find them!" she proclaimed confidently and Branch was sure that was true. His bunker was the most secure place in the forest, he had made sure of that when he built it. Not even a Troll could find it, let alone a Bergen. "Not where they're hiding!"

But Chef seemed unworried, which confused him. How was she so sure that she'd be able to get her hands on the rest of the village? For all she knew, they were one hundred miles away from their previous spot. "Oh, you're right, I couldn't find them," she admitted. She turned around, standing directly in front of them. She was smirking victoriously now, making it even harder for him to fight the urge to pull Poppy away from her. "But I could with someone they know. Someone they trust."

Wait, what? What was she playing at? His first thought was that she would somehow make Poppy - who was the most trusted Troll in the village right after her father - give away their location by threatening one or all of him and the Snack Pack, but that didn't make any sense. Chef said that she could find them, which implied that whoever she would get her source from didn't know where they were either.

Chef unzipped her fanny pack and pulled something out of it. "Someone..." she began dramatically. "like this guy."

It was Creek. He had his left leg placed on the side of his other leg in one of his typically yoga poses and a small smile on his face. "Creek!" uttered the pink Troll next to him happily. "You're alive!" As the Snack Pack began to fawn over him, the gears began turning in Branch's head.

Something wasn't adding up. How had Chef known they would land in this exact spot? How had she known that he and Poppy were even in the palace to begin with? How had she been able to calculate their every move? She wouldn't have been able to, unless someone was feeding her information. Someone who knew Poppy well enough to deduce every decision, every move she'd make.

Realization hit him like a ton of bricks as Branch glared at Creek's smug face. "He's selling us out!" he accused, whipping his hair out between the bars to throttle the purple Troll.  
Of course, of course. How could he not have seen this coming? There was no way the dirty coward would let himself be eaten when he could sell out the entire village. Sell out Poppy! He must have spotted the two of them when King Gristle had attempted to eat him and gave them out to Chef. That's how she had been one step ahead of them the entire time!

"Branch!" exclaimed Poppy in shock, trying to stop him. "Wait! I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation, at least give him a chance!" He glanced at her pleading face and begrudgingly let the traitor go. If it wasn't for Poppy, he wasn't sure what he would have done. There was no reason - absolutely none - that gave him an excuse for endangering their lives. Endangering hers!

Creek rubbed his neck. "Thank you, Poppy," he said to the princess. He opened his mouth and spoke, "I'm selling you out."

Before Branch could act, it was Poppy who tried to strangle the traitorous Troll with her pink tresses, both hands gripping the bars tightly and a look of pure rage on her face. Even though the situation was bad, he couldn't help but smirk a bit as her friends tried to pull her back. It was a little satisfying to see a different side of her as opposed to the happy-go-lucky, always-looks-on-the-bright-side princess.

"You'd better explain yourself, Creek!" spat Poppy and even he flinched at her tone. He had never heard her sound so angry before, never heard that much venom in her voice.

Creek rubbed his neck again, gasping for air. "As I was about to accept my fate, I had what could only be described as a spiritual awakening," he explained. He then rambled off, in detail, exactly what had happened. How he had promised to do anything for Chef in exchanged for his own life. This only served to infuriate Branch more. They had risked everything, everything so save him and how had he repaid them? By stabbing them in the back and twisting the knife.

Poppy, on the other hand, was heartbroken by this. He saw the anger slip off her face, only to be replaced with complete sadness. "No," she pleaded, looking like she was on the verge of tears. Her sadness made his heart ache as the troll that she had a crush on betrayed her. "Creek..."

"Believe me," began the purple Troll, strolling over to them, stopping right in front of her. "I wish there was some other, me-not-getting-eaten way."

"But there isn't," chimed in Chef.

"And now I have to live with this for the rest of my life," continued Creek. "At least you get to die with a clear conscience. So, in a way, you could say..." He cupped her chin in his hand and Branch wanted nothing more than to rip his arm away from her. How dare her have the nerve to touch her after what he had done. How dare her have the gall to talk to her! If he ever got the chance, he would make Creek pay for doing this to her. "I'm doing this for you." He removed her cowbell from her hair and bopped her nose with the stick. "Boop."

With that, Creek and Chef left, presumably to collect the Trolls from his bunker. Once they were gone, Poppy collapsed to the ground, holding her knees to her chest. He knew that she was trying her best not to cry, trying to hold out hope that they wouldn't be able to find her father and the others. Even now, she was still probably looking for the cupcakes and rainbows in this situation. The Snack Pack tried to reassure her that they would get out of this mess, but even they seemed hopeless.

Branch couldn't comfort her. He might have been madly in love with her, but he had no words that could lessen the sting of Creek's betrayal. He was left to his own thoughts as he pondered this revelation. She had loved him, did he even return the affection at all?

If Creek loved Poppy, it wasn't the same way Branch did. Branch would rather be eaten than allow any harm to come to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm satisfied with how this turned out. Anyway, please comment!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even when they're fighting, he's the only one she can call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this just kind of popped into my head. Please enjoy!

It was hard to breathe.

That was the only thing registering in Poppy's head. The world seemed to be spinning as she stumbled through the crowd of people. She had to get out of there. She was hot and crowded around and - God - she couldn't breathe. She was struggling to get outside, desperate to feel the cool night wind billowing against her face, to be able to inhale the sweet scent of summer.

She needed to get out of there.

When Poppy finally did make it outside, she took a deep breath. You're okay, she tried to assure herself as she staggered around the corner. The world seemed to be spinning around her before she finally collapsed to the ground on her knees. Tears blurred her vision and she could not stop them from streaming down her face. She thought the fresh air would help, but it was doing nothing to quell her rapidly beating heart or stop the pounding in her head.

Her hand trembling, Poppy managed to pull out her cellphone. Even in her stupor, she was able to dial a number she knew by heart. She listened to it ring, silently willing the person on the other end to pick up. After three rings, she felt like giving up. Why would he answer my call? she thought sadly, recalling their recent fight.

Suddenly, the phone was answered. "What do you want, Poppy?" snapped the person on the other end.

"B-Branch..." sobbed Poppy in response, relieved to hear his voice. He picked up, so he couldn't still be too mad at her, right?

Branch's tone changed immediately, becoming much softer and a great deal more concerned. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked. She gave no answer. "Poppy, what's going on?"

She was still hyperventilating as she thought of an answer. She decided to avoid the question, not wanting to talk about what had just transpired. "C-Can you come get me?" She looked around, the surrounding area unfamiliar to her. "I-I don't know where I am."

"Stay right there," ordered Branch and she could hear rustling in the background. "I'm on my way, okay? Just stay where you are."

"Okay..." Poppy was quiet for a moment before speaking again, "Branch?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry." There was silence on the other end. "Branch?"

He sighed. "God, Poppy, don't say that."

She pouted even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Why not?"

Branch sighed again. "We'll talk when I get there, okay?" The loud roar of his old car's engine was eminent and she had never been so glad to hear the horrible sound. "Do you want to stay on the line or will you be okay?"

Poppy thought about this for a minute. "I'll be fine," she assured him. "Please... just hurry."

OoOoOo

After what felt like forever - even though it could have only been around fifteen minutes - Branch's old, beat up car pulled up. Even through her blurry vision, she would never forget it. A mental image of it was forever planted in her head. The corner of Poppy's mouth turned up as she saw Branch emerge from the car. "Poppy!" he exclaimed, rushing towards her.

Using the wall for support, Poppy managed to get to her feet. "B-Branch," she stuttered, reaching out for him. She lost her balance and nearly toppled to the ground.

Luckily, Branch's arms were around her in an instant, steadying her. "Easy, Poppy Seed," he warned, affectionately using his nickname for her. "You think you can make it to the car?"

"Course I can." She moved away from his arms only to stumble once more, looking up at him sheepishly. "Maybe not..."

He didn't seem upset with her in the slightest, simply tucking one arm under her knees and the other around her wait. He hoisted her up in the air before making his way back towards the car. Usually, she was embarrassed with how easily Branch could lift her weight, but she didn't care at all at that moment. Poppy just snuggled into his chest, enjoying the warmth he gave off.

That warmth was gone all too soon, however, as he gently set her into the front seat of his car. She gave a whine of protest, but he just brushed a few pink strands from her forehead before placing a soft kiss on it. "Shh, Poppy," he soothed. "I'll be right next to you, I promise."

"Okay," muttered Poppy, already curling into the seat. Weariness overcame her in an instant and before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that was alright. There'll probably be a part two. Please review!


	5. Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apparently, Branch seemed to be rubbing off on her because she took notice of several things. a) It was pitch black. Usually, when she woke up in her pod, there was light streaming in from the window and into her eyes. b) She couldn't move. Her arms and legs seemed to be tied to the bed she was laying on, restraining her. c) There was a gag in her mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was a request from EpicLovesYoutube. Now, I'm not into the whole "Branch always saves Poppy" thing, but it's a request, so why not? Please enjoy!

When Poppy opened her eyes, she immediately knew something was wrong.

Apparently, Branch seemed to be rubbing off on her because she took notice of several things. a) It was pitch black. Usually, when she woke up in her pod, there was light streaming in from the window and into her eyes. b) She couldn't move. Her arms and legs seemed to be tied to the bed she was laying on, restraining her. c) There was a gag in her mouth.

She could only deduce that she had been kidnapped.

She began to make muffled sounds of angered protest, prompting a door a few feet away to open, letting in a bit of light. Her gag was removed and she felt her muscles relax a bit. "Glad to see you're awake, love."

Poppy would know that accent anywhere. "Creek?" she called out warily. She hadn't seen him in two years. Why now? Was he the one who kidnapped her?

A light switch must have been flicked, because the could suddenly see everything in front of her. She was in a white room with no windows, a steel door, and was tied to a bed with white sheets and a white blanket. What was he planning? Her former friend was sporting his usual attire - however dirty and musty - along with a malicious grin.

Creek sat down in a chair next to her bed. "Hello, Poppy. How have you been? Enjoying being Queen?"

Her eyes widened. How could he possibly know that? He and Chef had been long gone by the time her father had announced her as Queen of Troll Village. "H-Have you been spying on us?" she demanded, trying to keep a brave face. Inside, however, she was a bit frightened. She vaguely recalled Branch teaching her about the signs trolls showed when they were off their rocker. She didn't remember all of them, but she was sure that the troll in front of her had displayed at least three.

Creek chuckled. "I wouldn't call it spying, love. More like... observing?"

Poppy struggled against her bonds. "What do you want from me?" she snapped vehemently, fear slowly creeping up her throat.

"Well, that's easy, Poppy," said the purple troll, his voice condescending as usual. She never thought about it like that until Branch brought it up a few weeks after the whole ordeal. Now, she could definitely hear it. "I want to be King."

Say what?

"King?" repeated Poppy. She then gave a hollow laugh, her tone hardening. "You'll never be King. Not while I'm Queen. Not ever."

She was proud to say that while she had a hand in making Branch happier than he had been, it was definitely because of him she was a better leader. While she would never stop her subjects from having fun, she would always take the necessary safety measures to prevent another incident. She was a lot less naïve as well. She knew that, should he ever show his face, Creek was not to be trusted again. She couldn't put the village at risk once more.

This only further proved that notion.

Creek raised an eyebrow. "And who will be?" he challenged. "That bloke you're so enamored with now? Don't make me laugh. He's as fit to be King as much as he can pick out suitable clothing."

"There's nothing wrong with how he dresses!" Poppy immediately defended. "And he would make a great king! Better than you!"

He shook his head at her. "Regardless of what you believe, Branch isn't going to be King. I am. And you're going to help me."

"How would I-?!" It dawned on her. There were two ways for Creek to secure his place on the throne. The first would be for her to marry him and they both knew that wasn't happening. The second... She swallowed, trying to keep her brave face. "Keep away from me." She hoped he couldn't see how much she was shaking.

If she wouldn't marry him, he would secure his place on the throne by forcing her to bear his children.

Creek tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Love, I'd hate to lay a finger on you. I'll even let you go back to the village. Just announce, in front of everybody, that you're leaving   
Branch and marrying me. It's as simple as that."

However scared she was, Poppy would never do that. She couldn't. She loved Branch with all her heart and nothing would ever change that. Not even a threat from the psychopath in front of her. "Never," she spat. "And you call yourself a troll. Trolls don't do this, Creek! I don't know who you are anymore! You're sick!"

It was as if two decades of friendship just went down the drain. Did she really mean so little to him that he would hurt her to get what he wanted? That he would break the number one rule of the trolls? This wasn't the person she grew up with.

Creek shrugged, unbothered. "Guess we're doing this the hard way," he decided, going to remove her dress. "You made the wrong choice, love."

Poppy squeezed her eyed shut, hoping and praying for it to be over soon. Now matter how terrified she was, she wouldn't let the tears fall. She wouldn't give the monster the satisfaction.

She couldn't help but wish that Branch was here with her. At least then, she wouldn't be alone. But it was better this way, that she knew. Despite what Creek said, she knew she made the right choice. At least Branch would know that she still loved him. That she would always love him.

As Creek had begun to take off her clothing, there was a sudden crash and loud yelling. She didn't dare open her eyes, not knowing what to expect. "Poppy!" she heard. "Poppy, are you alright? It's me. Can you hear me?"

Poppy knew that voice. "D-DJ?" she asked, slowly peeking out from under her eyelids. Relief rushed through her at seeing her friend.

DJ managed a smile, but was obviously distressed at seeing her queen in the state she was in. "I-Is it okay for me to untie you?" she asked carefully.

"Please do."

Once she was released, Suki handed her the dress Creek had taken off. "Here, put this on." She did as she was told. "Come on, let's get out of here."  
Poppy looked around, noticing her captor was missing. "W-Where's Creek?" she questioned, ready to defend herself if need be.

DJ chuckled. "I wouldn't worry about him," she joked, hoping it would lighten the mood for her friend. "I doubt he'll be able to move after Branch is done with him."  
The Queen perked up. "Branch is here?"

The red troll looked at her like she was crazy. "Girl, after you went missing, the boy went crazy," she told her. "He didn't even stop to rest. All he could think about was finding you."  
Poppy was about to say something when, "YOU LAY ANOTHER FINGER ON HER AGAIN, I SWEAR, I'LL-!"

Both trolls looked to where Branch was beating Creek into the ground. Literally. "Branch!" she shouted, interrupting him. Poppy ran over to the enraged troll, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Branch, stop! He's not worth it!"

Branch froze at her touch, whirling around to face her. "Poppy," he breathed.

She smiled at him. "Hey, buddy," she greeted.

Creek seemed to be forgotten as Branch engulfed her in a hug. He hugged her as if he could never let go. "You're okay," he sobbed in relief, crying into her hair.

"I'm okay," Poppy confirmed, hugging him back. "You're okay. We're okay."

And they always would be. No matter what anyone else threw at them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I hope y'all liked it and please review!

**Author's Note:**

> That ending was "meh." It's, like, 80 degrees out and I'm lazy. Sue me. I'm actually planning a part two to this, only because I wanted to add something here, but it didn't really fit. So, expect that. Also, I'm not to fond of Creek? Does it show? Anyway, please review!


End file.
